Monday, March 26, 2012

Sunset Blvd. (1950), written and directed by successful director Billy Wilder, is based on the story of a Hollywood screenwriter and a Hollywood star who is forgotten in the transition from silent movies to the sound cinema. The screenwriter Joe Gills, performed by William Holden, has been experiencing financial problems. While he is fleeing from the people that he owes money, his story intersects with Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Norma is an actress who was on the pinnacle of fame during the silent movie era, but then, Hollywood had forgotten about her and left her aside. Fortunately, she doesn't have financial problems and lives her life in a luxury estate that she owns, and Gills has enough reasons to accept her offer to work on the scenario that she wrote.

The film sheds light to the true face of Hollywood film industry: intrigues, backstage politics, forgotten stars, complexes, hypocrisy and betrayals. Even if it's a 1950 film, it approaches with a realistic view to the film industry where people struggles in the conflicts of gaining fame and fighting to retain it; and it still exists today. In brief, it tells us that the spotlights, albeit painful, one day might die away.

The filmconsists ofthree maincharacters: Hollywood starNormaDesmond, screenwriter Gillsand butlerMax. Only in the late moments of the film, we learn the fact that Max is not there bychance, but that hehas his own story. Normacharacter, who is portrayed by Gloria Swanson, raises the level of the movie, I think. Shedeliversa wonderfulacting performance with Norma Desmondthat it took its place among the most memorable characters in the film history. She brought Norma Desmond into existence. She even makes you believe that she played herself in the movie...

Screenwriter Gills, all of a sudden, finds himself as a servant of Norma Desmond who is surrendered to her ego, who confuses thedreamand the reality, who ignores and doesn't want to see the facts of life. But theintriguedoesn't end here, actually it starts here, and drifts us towards the inevitable incident that is clearly shown at the beginning ofthe movie.

Billy Wilder is one of the directors that I never get bored of watching his movies. He is also one of the frequenters of AcademyAwards. Besidesnumerousnominations, he received the Best Director(2times), the Best Filmand the BestOriginal Screenplay(3times)Academy Award.If you want to see a masterpiece that mocks with Hollywood and takes down its mask, don't miss this film!